Gossip Girl Z
by xxShamelessDiamondsxx
Summary: What if the zombie apocalypse hit the world of Gossip Girl? Note that this story doesn't take place at any one point in the series. I've just taken the characters and kind of ran with it.
1. BE THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING

**BE THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING, FOR SOON THERE WILL BE NOTHING.**

Blair Waldorf trudged her five inch Manolos through hordes of tourists and New York natives alike, all awaiting the giant glittering ball to drop and welcome the new year. Fourteen minutes to go and still no sign of him. She pulled out her silver phone and reread the text.

Times Square. Tonight. —C.B.

"Where the hell are you?!" Blair cried out into the ruckus she'd been battling for nearly four hours. She hated New Years' Eve. It was simply impossible. Mass amounts of strangers standing around in the slush with sniveling noses and scratchy throats and frozen ears to watch a dumb ball drop three hundred feet? Big deal. She'd rather be inside watching on her mothers' new Sony with a jumbo mug of dark hot cocoa.

Blair tried texting back to ask for a more specific meeting place all day but never got a response. Was this some sort of test? Whatever it was, she wasn't in the mood for it any longer. She attempted a call but was greeted with a recording prompting her to leave a message after the beep. "I've put up with this long enough. I'm in front of the McDonalds if you're wondering," she roared into the phone and hung up. "You're so lucky I love you." Damn him for sending her on a wild goose chase.

* * *

Jenny Humphrey clicked along the steps of Union Station while Damien was involved with a cocaine deal inside somewhere. With everyone out celebrating the New Year the place was nearly empty for a Saturday night. _It'll be three months next Monday_, she thought to herself as she put her hair in a high ponytail. Three months since she left her family and friends without warning for Chicago. Three months since Linda Schilling, CEO of Waldorf Designs Chicago offered her the opportunity of a lifetime that fell through the roof the moment she stepped off the train. Three months since she ran into Damien Dalgaard at a party trying to promote her designs and offered her a hellacious job she just couldn't refuse.

Her phone buzzed and she immediately ignored it. Why wouldn't he stop calling? That only made it all harder. "Should've stayed back in New York," she muttered to herself and stared blankly at Nate's contact photo.

"Why?" Damien materialized by her side and put a scrawny arm around her

"God!" Jenny jumped a foot in the air. "Maybe a warning next time?"

"Oh come on." He kissed her cheek and dove into her round eyes. "What's wrong Little J?"

"This isn't the life I planned for myself." She didn't want to cry, but the frustration of it all was beginning to hit her. She wiped a tear before it could fall and put her phone in her black Chanel clutch.

"Me either. But does anyone really plan for this?"

"I guess not. I just thought someone would've contacted me about my designs by now."

"Takes time princess."

"Please stop calling me that."

"Princess?"

"No. Little J. That time's way behind me now." She sighed. "It's been almost three months. Can you believe that?"

"Time flies when you're havin' fun!"

"Right."

"C'mon." Damien jumped down a few steps, eager to get his Little J in high spirits again. "Let's grab something to eat and go home. I vote pizza!"

She smiled. "No more meetings tonight? No parties to get to?"

"Nah. That was the last one. And I'm worn out anyway. Aren't you? You've been walkin' around on those stilts all day!" Damien took Jenny by the hand and they started toward the doors before he paused. "Oh I almost forgot something."

"What?"

Damien kissed her. "Happy New Year."

* * *

Blair looked at her phone for the four hundredth time. Two minutes until midnight and still no Chuck. By now she was sitting inside the McDonalds watching a tired three year old in a booster seat throw a tantrum. For a few seconds she thought about joining him. Maybe Serena was right after all. She couldn't believe she left her moms' party for this. Hungry and cold in a McDonalds. Waiting for the man who simply wasn't going to come, even though he promised.

Then, as if on cue, a panting and spent Chuck Bass threw the door open and tore through the place 'til he finally found her. "What are you doing in here with all these people?" he huffed and fixed his hair.

"Well—"

"No time to explain." Chuck took Blair's hand and lifted her to her feet. He looked at his watch. "We only have a minute left, after all."

* * *

"I don't know how I feel about this."Charlie Rhodes whispered to Serena van der Woodsen on their way up to Eleanor Walorfs' New Years' Eve party. "I still feel like I don't belong here."

Serena gave her favorite cousin a supportive hug and giggled. "Of course you do. What's it going to take for you to feel like part of the family, huh?"

The elevator doors opened to reveal a restless Blair Waldorf. "Finally. The door took twenty minutes to open," she gasped. Then her eyes met Charlie. "Oh look who it is. Better take your Coco Puffs tonight. Don't want to see more kookoo Charlie, now do we?

Charlie blushed and fled the elevator. Serena moaned. "Why did you do that?

Blair enlarged her eyes innocently. "Just a little advice for the less fortunate. They can't all be me, after all."

"Are you going somewhere? I thought we were going to have a fun night in," Serena said before a sinister feeling hit her. "Wait a second. This isn't about Chuck is it?"

"I'll explain everything later."

"Blair, come on. After everything that's happened?"

"Don't want to hear it Serena," Blair said as she jabbed the ground floor button three times.

"I just don't want to see you hurt again," she said as the doors began closing. "Well, text me!"

* * *

Running, running, running. That's all Chuck had time for if this was going to happen. He looked up at the digital clock towering over Times Square. Any moment they would begin counting down. The golden arches appeared before him and he jerked his head around looking for her brunette head, nowhere to be seen. _Dammit Blair why can't you stay in one place?_

Chuck took out his phone to call her back before he spotted her inside. He threw the door open and tore through the place to retrieve her. They exited fast food heaven and he pulled her across the bustling street, towards the ball. Chuck pushed hundreds of people out of the way before they neared a discreet alley.

"What's going on here?" Blair asked, but Chuck said nothing. He slid a keycard on the wall and pushed a door open into a dim office.

"What's going on?" Blair repeated and followed him into an elevator.

"I wanted to wait until the time was right for both of us. But recent events are forcing me to speed things up a little."

"What are you—"

"Look. I know I've been an asshole in the last few months. I know I've done things to you that were worse than anything anyone has ever done."

"Chuck, I—"

The elevator dinged and the doors opened to the top floor of the building.

"How'd you manage this?" Blair asked as she walked around. Thick sheets of glass substituted the outer walls of the building, giving them a glamorous view of all of Times Square. The monstrous clock counted down to the New Year and a very faint countdown of the crowd was heard.

"_FITEEN! FOURTEEN! THIRTEEN!"_

"I'm Chuck Bass," he said smugly and took her hand, massaging her milky palm. "Blair…" He started.

"Yes?"

"_TEN! NINE! EIGHT!"_

Chuck knelt down on one knee and reached into a coat pocket to retrieve the ring he'd been carrying around with him nearly a year.

"_SIX! FIVE! FOUR!"_

Blair's knees wobbled as soon as Chuck lowered himself to the ground. She's waited for this for longer than she could remember. Forget Serena and her opinions of Chuck. Forget Jenny and her night with Chuck. Forget Bart and his resentment toward his son.

"_THREE! TWO! ONE!"_

"Will you do the honor of being my wife?"

And for one moment Blair forgot it all as she cried yes over and over and over and almost fell to the floor before Chuck caught her in a warm embrace she thought would never end as bursts of flaming fireworks engulfed them both, celebrating their wonderful, gorgeous future together.


	2. A FAMILY THAT FEEDS TOGETHER

**A FAMILY THAT FEEDS TOGETHER STAYS TOGETHER.**

"Arthur, take us to The Palace," Chuck demanded as he helped Blair into the back of his limo, a place she'd modestly missed. She forgot how many memories were made on the black leather until she was sitting on it for the first time in months and taking in the fresh polish.

"The Palace?" She asked, intrigued. "More surprises?"

"You could say that." He slid in next to her. "But not of the, uh… pleasurable variety. We're going to have to stay holed- up for a while.

"What's going on?"

Chuck pulled out his phone in an attempt to explain in the only way he knew she would understand him: hard facts. "You're not going to believe me," he said as he showed her a news video uploaded only minutes before showing a woman tearing at another woman's' face.

"Is this some kind of joke? Because it's a really bad one. Halloween has long come and gone Chuck."

"No," he countered and flipped on the small limousine flat screen to the news showing similar footage. "This is real."

"So what? Another idiot drugged on bath salts strikes again!"

"I'm afraid it's a bit more serious than that. An epidemic if you will. But it's just the beginning. They say it's going to spread quickly. A hundred people dead as of this morning."

They sat in silence and watched the grim story unfold before them.

"Did they just say… possible zombie outbreak?"

"Yes. We still have time to prepare though. We need to get ready so we can fly to the Hamptons in a few days, before it gets worse."

"This is ridiculous. The Hamptons? I'm calling my mom. Arthur? Take me home!"

* * *

Can you believe it? I barely can. I finally remembered what I was looking for, and she's beautiful. I don't remember who she is. I don't remember her name or how I know her. But I love her more than anything in the world. It's a funny story actually. I was crossing the Brooklyn Bridge on foot and there she was. Tall, blonde, and beautiful. I'd never seen her so tan before. California did her well. Skin the color of caramel and eyes as big and deep as the Pacific Ocean I'm sure she swam in. Her hair was lighter than usual, with streaks of gold than dazzled in direct sunlight. We're both starving and decided to go out. Spaghetti it is, and boy is it delicious.

* * *

Serena paced around Blair's room as Charlie sat at the vanity. It was one A.M. and still no text from Blair.

"Maybe she lost her phone?" Charlie guessed. She honestly didn't care about the bitch, she just wanted out of her house. She stood up. "I think I'm going to head back home."

"You can't leave!" Serena's voice had a harsh spike that made Charlie sit back down. Serena sighed. "I'm sorry I'm just freaking out right now. You heard the story on the news. My best friend is out there and no one knows where."

Charlie opened her mouth to say something but Eleanor's piercing voice rang through the room.

Serena bolted to the living room to find Eleanor Waldorf drinking a half empty bottle of wine and a magnanimous smile on her face as she talked on the phone."Oh, thank God! Come home quick. There's this story on the news and it's just terrible beyond words. Oh ok. Yes I understand dear. See you soon."

"What's going on?"

"It's Blair! She and Chuck are on their way now. She said Traffic was horrid. It might be a while."

Serena groaned. Instead of being happy for her friend she was pissed. Blair would be safer out with those things from the news. "Chuck? Won't she ever learn?"


	3. IF I WERE A ZOMBIE

**IF I WERE A ZOMBIE, I'D EAT YOU THE MOST.**

Damien shoved his condo key through the hole and opened the door. "Home sweet home!" he shouted and made his way over to the couch as Jenny followed behind with the pizza box.

"Totally," she said and dropped the box on the dark wood coffee table and lit a Christmas candle. "I never want to leave the house again."

"I can't promise anything excessive, but we will be able to stay in for a few days." Damien clicked on the TV.

Jenny let out a sigh of relief. A few days of binging on pizza and potato chips and watching old movies were more than enough. She fell onto the couch and took off her shoes. Damien was right, the shoes were killers.

Damien grabbed a slice of pizza and surfed through several channels. "Nothing on, as usual."

"Go to channel four," Jenny said. "They might be showing the ball drop again." This was the first year she didn't spend the evening with Dan and her dad, huddled together on the couch eating leftover Christmas cookies and watching the New Year festivities. Damien and pizza would have to suffice.

Damien kind of laughed. "Oh Jenny. You know they don't reshow that," he said. But he flipped to channel four. Just in case.

Late night news was on. "See," he said.

Jenny sighed and her phone started ringing.

INCOMING CALL: NATE

She immediately ignored the call and whined to herself.

"Who was that?" Damien asked, scooting closer.

"An old friend." Jenny's voice was distant as she fell onto him.

"Um, is everything ok?"

_Just about as ok as a cooked lobster._ "Yeah. Everything's good."

A moment of silence passed through them as they watched the bland news report

"Actually," Jenny said, thinking to herself. "I think I'm going to take that call."

"Ok," Damien said with concerned eyes.

* * *

I'm dragging my bare feet along the sidewalks of Park Avenue. Searching… searching…searching. What is it I'm looking for again? I can't remember. I can't even remember my own name. Did it start with an E? Maybe it was an N. That and I are monstrously hungry. I'll probably stop for some pizza, or spaghetti, or both. Mmm.

* * *

"It's a nightmare out there!" Blair said as she took off her coat.

"I'm just glad you're home," Eleanor said and looked at Chuck. "So what was it you did that had my lovely daughter running around the city for?"

Chuck smiled and began to spoke. He couldn't wait to finally be able to say he was marrying her daughter. But before he spoke, Blair blazed through his trail of romance.

"He took me to the top floor of an office building to watch the ball drop." At least it wasn't a lie, just not the complete truth. "You should've seen it mother. The fireworks, the music, the… the…"

"The kiss?" Eleanor finished.

"It was all so breathtakingly romantic," Blair said. "So where is everyone?"

"Everyone left as soon as the news spread. I insisted they stay but they decided it best to get home. Except Serena of course. With her mom and brother being out of town she decided to stay here with Charlie."

"Oh."

"That's alright, isn't it?"

"Yes of course," Blair smiled a fake smile and dreaded the moment Serena would walk out and see Chuck. "Where are they?"

"In your room."

"If you two would excuse me," Blair said to Chuck and her mother as she headed for her room.

* * *

Jenny got up, put on Damien's leather boots and grey pea coat, and headed outside. She pulled the coat tight around her and sat on the snowy step. The air seemed even colder than earlier as she stared at the phone.

"_Nate, I'm sorry!"_ She wanted to tell him. _"I made a mistake and ran away. I was scared and didn't know how to face anyone, especially you…"_

The words flowed through Jenny's mind and saturated the pain and hurt she long ago tucked away. But tonight it grew immensely; there was no energy or strength left to hide behind all the ignored calls, voicemails, and texts. She opened his last voicemail.

"Hey Jenny. I know you're ok. You can take care of yourself. I understand why you felt you had to leave. No one has forgiven you here. But I know why you did what you did. It's because of me and for that I am eternally sorry. I'm not asking you to come back. Not this time. I'm just asking that you please, please call me back. I just need to hear your voice tonight. Jenny I li—"

Jenny sniveled as Nate's last sentence got cut off. She wanted to call him. She wanted to hear his voice, not just a recording. She wanted him to talk to _her_, not her voicemail. But she knew if she did, everything she's worked to achieve the past months would be for nothing and she would run back to New York where everyone but Nate hated her and she would have to start over with nothing and no one.

"I can't," she said weakly. "I'm sorry I just can't."

* * *

"Blair!" Serena jumped off the bed to hug her best friend. "Are you ok? It's crazy out there isn't it?"

"Just really busy." Blair returned the hug and then skulked to her vanity. She spotted Charlie staring at her through the mirror and glared at her. Charlie swiftly crossed her arms and put her head down.

_What the hell am I still doing here?_ She thought to herself

"So how did things go?" Serena asked, excited to have Blair back. "Where's Chuck?"

"How did you know Chuck was here?" Blair turned around to face Serena.

"Your mom said he was coming." Serena sat back down on the bed by Charlie.

"Hmm."

"What happened?"

"Chuck took me to see the fireworks," Blair said with a smug smile.

"And?"

_And he proposed to me. And the world is perfect. And no, you don't need to know. _Blair looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"Come on Blair. What else happened? There's no way you would rush off so fast just for fireworks when your mom is having a New Year party. That's just not you."

"Sure it is! You're not the only one around here allowed to do things on a whim."

"Blair…"

* * *

After Jenny left to call her friend back Damien flipped to an old movie about gangsters and romance. He watched the star-crossed lovers sneak away from their homes and lay on a beach.

_The girl: I never want to go back home._

_ The boy: Then don't. I've got a car and plenty of gas. We can get away from here. You don't need that man he don't treat you right._

_ The girl: But it's not right. We can't just run away. It's too big a risk._

Jenny came back and sat down next to him. "What are you watching?"

"I dunno, but it's better than the news shit."

Jenny laughed somberly and pushed against him.

_The boy: Sure we can. What is there to risk? The life we have here?_

* * *

Nate. You're right. I'm doing great actually. I can't say much, but I'm in Chicago trying to make a living for myself. Don't blame yourself for what happened. Everything was me. I did it all and you know that. I'm so sorry for the things I did. I hope at least you forgive me. No one else really matters to me anymore…


	4. CAUTION: ZOMBIES AHEAD!

**CAUTION: ZOMBIES AHEAD!**

_One Week Later…_

A very hollow Blair watched cops patrol the street from a bay window in the study. Most of them wearing puffy coats and drinking from scorching cups as they shuffled through the morning sleet. It had been nearly a week since she'd seen Chuck; the night that ensured her perfect future. _I'm supposed to be a queen_, she thought to herself and exhaled, deciding she wasn't moving from this spot until it was all over.

"Blair!" Eleanor shouted from somewhere outside the room. "Where are you?"

Blair stayed silent but her mother found her regardless. "Oh there you are. I've been calling you for twenty minutes. What's wrong?"

"Just thinking about things," she said solemnly. _Chuck, Serena, school, and all the other things that may as well not exist anymore._

"Well," Eleanor sat down next to her daughter. "We'll be out of here soon."

"What do you mean?"

"With everything going on I thought it be best we leave. For Paris. I've been thinking about it for a while now. I guess all that…" She looked outside, disgusted. "…was the kick I needed to get the ball rolling."

Blair didn't say anything.

"I thought you'd be happy to hear this," Eleanor said.

"Why Paris?"

"For one, I'm moving Waldorf designs over. It's the fashion capital of the world after all." She laughed and lightly hugged Blair taking in her spicy perfume. "You'd be closer to your father. Wouldn't that be great? And we'll be out of this never-ending nightmare."

"We can't just stick it out?" Blair pulled away and looked at Eleanor. "They said they're taking care of it."

"You can't believe everything you see on TV. And what more could they do? It's…frenzied out there"

"How are you planning on leaving? They aren't letting anyone in or out of their own houses, let alone the country."

"Apparently not 'anyone'. Renaldo is flying out first thing tomorrow morning and we're going with him."

"What about Serena and her family? What about Chuck? Nate? We just leave them here?"

"Darling, when it comes down to it, we have to look out for ourselves." She winked and headed out the door. "Start packing! We have a big day ahead of us!" She called out.

She wasn't making any sense. These walls, floors, doors, the city…everyone in it. It was all home. Paris was perfect, but not home.

* * *

Serena was sitting in the lobby waiting for the groceries they ordered to arrive. The guy was late and she was getting anxious.

_What if he never shows up?_ She thought. _No. He will. He has to…_

After new law, Serena and Eric were forced to go home until further notice No one could be anywhere other than their legal residence. However, Lily was still in Italy, so it was just them kids at The Palace.

And Chuck.

And they were running out of food.

She pressed her forehead against the glass front door to see if anyone was coming but she couldn't see past the corner of the building.

_Just a peek_, she thought and pushed the door open, letting the cold wind pass through her hair and sting her eyes.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," a voice behind her said.

"I'm just seeing if the food guy is coming. We're starving upstairs."

"Me too. But you know we can't go out."

"Hold the door open for me," Serena said to Chuck as she took a few steps out and saw no one. "Damn."

"Come back inside. We'll find something," Chuck said, reaching out. Serena's eyes wandered around the buildings. She hadn't been outside in days. The city felt different, haunted.

"Wow," she whispered. "Chuck come here."

"Serena…"

"Seriously!" Serena grabbed him by the hand and forced him into the quiet. He looked around and got chills. It wasn't the city they knew only days ago.

Iron security gates at every turn.

Barbed wire topped fences that jutted into the sky.

Patrolmen lurking around.

And that incessant, distant moaning.

No. This wasn't New York anymore.

"Do you feel that?" Serena asked. Chuck nodded when she looked at him. "What is it?"

Chuck started back toward the door and gestured for her to follow. "Death," he said. "And decay."


	5. CAUTION: ZOMBIES AHEAD! (PART 2)

**CAUTION: ZOMBIES AHEAD! (PART 2)**

Damien wore tapered skinny jeans with a dark wash that were just tight enough in the butt for Jenny to need to look away and bite her lip as she walked behind him. Sure, she'd seen his bare ass plenty of times before. But that didn't mean it didn't leave an illustrious stirring inside her. She instead looked to the sky, saw three jets flying overhead, and thought of New York. The news had been portraying the city as a giant prison quarantine the past week, very unlike Chicago. It seemed like all the cops ran out of town the second the outbreak was broadcast.

Maybe they all fled to New York.

_It'll be great to finally be back in the city_, she thought to herself and continued to delve into a daydream that involved Nate, a very large bed with a killer view of the city, and an endless supply of sparkling wine.

"I knew you'd come back," Nate would say as he rolled her around, enveloping them both in a garden of blonde hair.

She would shine, speechless beyond belief. Everyone forgave her and welcomed her back.

And then she ran into Damien's back.

"We almost there yet?" She asked and shook off the thoughts. They'd been walking the streets for what felt like a hundred blocks before finding Friedman Avenue. With busted buildings, several wrecked cars, and countless homeless people wandering around, it was apparent they were in the ghetto.

"Here," Damien replied and shot the lock off of a steel garage door with a string of broken windows near the top of it.

"God damn was that necessary?"

"Yes. I forgot the combination." He pushed the door up. Light flooded the room and revealed the rusty motorcycle that looked like it passed its' prime in the '80s.

"You didn't even try to figure it out, Damien." Jenny looked around to see if the shot caught any attention. "This part of town clearly isn't very safe and the last thing we need is to come off as a threat. Be careful with that thing."

"Relax woman," Damien said and wiped the windshield with a rag. "Every part of town is bad now with all the dead people walking around. You're going to hear gunshots no matter where you go. Besides, it's been like, half a year since I was last here. No way was I going to be able to remember the combination." "Throw your shit in that one, "He said as he opened the right saddle bag. He proceeded to pour some gasoline in the tank and dumped the rest of the gas can in the other saddle bag along with some clothes and snacks.

Jenny reluctantly looked at the dusty inside and hoped her oversized hobo bag would fit. Damien said to pack light, after all.

"Here." He stole the bag from her and shoved it with such force it slid right in.

"Perfect gentlemen."

Damien smiled as he straddled the bike. "You know me well."

Jenny rolled her eyes and hopped on. "So I don't get it."

"What?" He turned the key and revved the engine. Much to Jenny's surprise, the engine roared like a lion ready for war.

"You dump off your motorcycle at this dude's place and don't come back for a year?" She yelled over the growling machine.

"Pretty much, yeah," Damien said coolly and lifted his feet off the ground. The bike rolled into the street and Jenny got a certain taste of adventure she hadn't quite had since she left for Chicago.

"Some friend you are. I thought the guy keeping the bike for you was a 'good buddy' of yours?"

"Well…"

"Hmm?"

"Let's just say this guy owes me. And it's repo day."

"So this _isn't yours?"_

"It is now."

"Damien!"

* * *

Black lace pumps clicked silently on the wet sidewalk and an Adrienne Vittadini suitcase briskly rolled behind. The plan was simple really. They blocked off all the streets the zombies were on and let them be. No one would even look for her there. All she needed to do is take those streets to The Palace. Of course it would take almost double the amount of time it normally it would. And on foot? She was looking at a four hour trek through the darkest corners of New York.

_I can do it._

_I have to do it._

_…For him._

It was ten after midnight by the time Blair left the house. She couldn't decide what she needed to pack, and it took nearly forever for her mother to fall asleep.

The door opened and frozen air smacked her face and swept through her hair. Lucky for her the backdoor of the apartment complex led to one of the unpatrolled roads. It was a shade away from being pitch black, but she didn't want to use the flashlight just yet.

She held the umbrella—her one and only weapon—close to her chest and continued down the steps. Loud but distant groaning could be heard farther down.

_What am I doing? _Blair thought to herself, but she kept walking.

_Chuck. I'm doing this for Chuck._ What other reason did she need? Everything around her was dying. She wasn't going to allow the most passionate part of her life to die too.

* * *

After two hours and a very generous food delivery, Chuck, Serena, and Eric sat in the kitchen of the bar eating.

"I had no idea you were this good of a cook Chuck," Eric said.

"I had no idea you could cook at all!" Serena cried.

"My father had this Italian girlfriend when I was ten. Katia. She taught me everything I know," Chuck said and winked at Serena.

Serena rolled her eyes. "Give it up Chuck. You may be a good cook but you're never getting any of this."

Chuck just shrugged his shoulders and raised his hands as if he was caught doing something naughty. "I'm not implying anything." He smiled.

"Wow," she said, amused. "I don't think I've ever heard you admit defeat before."

Chuck bit his lip. Should he break the big news to her? It's been a week and Blair hasn't said anything to Serena yet. Was something going on? The thought had him distraught, but only for a moment. Blair was madly in love and couldn't possibly have second thoughts about it. She must be waiting for the perfect moment.

Chuck was about to spit a sarcastic remark to hide the truth before his phone rang from another room. "Excuse me, ladies," Chuck said and wandered off.

"I really don't like it when he calls me that," Eric said.

"He doesn't mean anything by it."

"Yeah, sure."

They ate the delicious Italian dish in silence for a few moments before Chuck bolted past them and reached for his coat.

"What's going on?" Eric asked.

Chuck looked at both of them sternly. "Blair's in trouble." He was barely able to speak as he looked at Serena. "We have to go. Now."


	6. ZOMBIES HATE FAST FOOD

**ZOMBIES HATE FAST FOOD.**

An hour into her walk and no trouble. _This is a lot easier than I thought it would be_, Blair convinced herself. _And less scary. What's the big deal? I thought these things were primitive monsters or something? They're practically cute woodland fairy tale creatures…minus the cute part. I almost prefer them over people._

The freezing rain was Blair's only enemy tonight and God was it pissed. She shivered under a leaking umbrella and stopped at an intersection to determine the fastest route.

_Left_, her conscience whispered. She just shrugged and flashed her light in the aforementioned direction.

"Couldn't hurt," Blair said to herself and continued left. Town cars and taxicabs had driven her wherever she needed to go since she was born, so a sense of direction was never on her list of strong suits. The buildings here—a mishmash of business towers and skyscrapers—were all blacked out, street lights were no longer in use, and there was a mess of graffiti on the concrete walls.

Three zombies hunched over something on the sidewalk across the street and a handful of others wandered around aimlessly around them. Blair ignored them and moved on quietly.

_Remember, they're more afraid of you than you are of them_, Blair thought as one of them faced her. She quickened her pace and looked away from the dead man in a work suit, staring straight ahead.

_Go away… _

_Go away… _

_Go away… go away…_

Blair dared to look behind her only to find the same man still looking at her and slowly, but surely, following her.

_Go away go away go away go away go away! _She squealed inwardly and began a slight jog.

* * *

Damien pulled into an isolated bar just off of Highway I-80 and cut off the engine.

"What are we doing here?" Jenny asked. She got off the bike and stretched her legs.

"We've been on the road for nearly four hours," he said, looking at his watch and then at her. "Time for a pit stop, don't you think?"

"I guess," she said. Jenny was anxious to get to New York, but her butt _was_ nearly numb. And at least one drink couldn't hurt, right? "The place looks closed though."

The empty parking lot, dark interior, and unlit sign led her to believe she was right. "Maybe we should go somewhere else."

"We're not in the big city anymore," Damien said and peered into the window on the front door. "People in rural areas probably don't get out much anymore." His fingers gripped the handle and he tugged, but the door didn't budge.

"Ok… So let's find some other place," Jenny said and started walking back to the bike. "There has to be another bar or something close. At least a gas station."

"Damn it's freezing," Damien said. He kept pulling on the door, begging it to open. Finally he used so much force the door snapped and swung open. "There."

Jenny turned to see Damien smiling like a child on Christmas morning. "Bar's open," he said and entered the threshold.

Jenny stopped at the door and stared at the door. The handle and the wood all around it was split and almost falling off. It looked like someone shot the handle off. "What the hell did you do?" She asked with worry. They could get arrested! "This is breaking and entering, Damien."

Damien shrugged. "What? The door was unlocked, I swear! It was just frozen shut."

"This is so illegal," Jenny said.

"And drug trafficking isn't?" Damien laughed and winked. "Come on, it's warm in here. Drinks on me."

* * *

Ben, the zombie Blair aptly named, was still following her after five minutes. A few others took note of the fresh meat and decided to join in, causing a parade of sorts down Harvey Park. She held the umbrella up against her shoulder so she could hold the flashlight in one hand and roll the suitcase with the other. It was uncomfortable, but necessary if she wanted to stay dry, see, and have a suitable wardrobe for the next week or so.

_Why? They were being so good!_ She thought to herself and tried to pretend they weren't there, but the rain wasn't loud enough to completely cut out the shuffling footsteps. No more turning around, she decided. Last she checked there were seven—that's right, seven!—of them, all staring at her with dead eyes.

Five more minutes and the rain let up a bit, allowing her to fold away the umbrella for the time being and focus more on the situation at hand: getting the absolute heck out of these corpses' sights. However, the situation inevitably worsened as Blair quickly turned a corner and ran straight into a zombie.

Blair screamed as it moaned and groped and bit at her. She bashed it in the head with her flashlight several times before it fell to the ground. Terror filled her lungs and she resisted the urge to scream again as she looked ahead and saw dozens and dozens of them staring at her silently.

* * *

Serena jumped up.

"What's going on?" She asked. Blair, in trouble? Her heart raced as a hundred situations ran through her mind.

"Blair's mother was planning an escape for them," Chuck said briskly. Nor Serena or Eric had seen him move so fast in their lives as he started throwing various items into a duffel bag. "A friend is supposed to be flying them out to Paris tomorrow morning. Eleanor"

"Oh," Serena said and took a sip of her wine. She didn't know what else to say. It didn't surprise her, really. Eventually Eleanor was going to decide fleeing the country was the best idea for them, once she realized things were only going to get worse around here. "I can't believe she didn't tell me," She said under her breath.

"What's with the bag?" Eric asked.

Chuck zipped up the bag, tossed it around his shoulder and headed toward the elevator. "Blair is trapped in a bathroom at a subway station."

Serena spilled her wine and nearly fell over. "Oh my God! And you're just now telling us this?" She screamed and threw her coat on. "Is she hurt?"

"She doesn't think so."

"Oh my God…" was all she could manage to say.

"Come on Eric," Chuck said. "We're going to need your help."

* * *

_I ran, and I ran, and I ran some more until I couldn't possibly run any further. They were all around me. Yelling, crying, and moaning with gnashing teeth and yellowy-black eyes that wouldn't stop piercing through my soul. I lost both my shoes and my suitcase somewhere along the way, which meant I lost the ring. I spotted the abandoned subway stairs just in time and sprinted down them, hoping there were no more zombies down there._

_The station was empty as I made my way to a bathroom and locked myself in. What other choice did I have? It was my only hope. I sat on the floor and pulled my phone out from inside my purse, dialing the only person I could count on._

_"Blair!" A warm voice said. "I haven't heard from you in almost a week! How are you? I miss you so much…"_

_I was silent for a short moment before speaking. "It's kind of a long story."_


End file.
